(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a machine for cutting sheet material by means of a laser beam.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
Known machines used for the cutting of sheet material, especially sheet iron, by means of a stationary laser beam have tables provided with an opening situated on the axis of the laser beam and over which the sheet to be cut is displaced. A result of this arrangement is that, when the cut-out worked members or the waste produced move slightly out from the plane of the rest of the sheet, they risk catching on the edge of the opening in the table during displacement of the sheet. Consequently, it is necessary to release each cut-out member as the cutting proceeds, which necessitates successive stoppages of the machine.